The claims of this invention are to be read to include any legally equivalent device or method. The invention relates to the field of wild game callers, especially turkey, duck, geese and other fowl. However, the invention may be used in any caller capable of mimicking the sound of any animal.
Many conventional animal callers use air blown past one or reed members to produce sound. One common assembly involves a flat reed wedged between wood or cork, and air being blown past that assembly to cause the reed to vibrate and thereby produce sound. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,513. The sound of some such callers may be adjusted by adjusting the length of the vibrating portion of the reed. However, such adjustment often requires disassembling the caller in the field, which may be difficult and cumbersome under many hunting conditions, and may otherwise detract from the success or enjoyability of the hunt. Moreover, such interior reed assemblies are susceptible to malfunctioning caused, at least in part, by the accumulation of spit and debris in or around the assembly. It is also difficult to adjust the call sound quickly enough to readily allow customized calls under time-sensitive field conditions.
Another assembly involves an elastomeric reed over an off-center air outlet aperture in the conically tapered end face of a cylindrical caller mouthpiece, said reed being secured by a ring within a circumferential groove of said mouthpiece. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,937. The sound of some such callers may be adjusted by adjusting the positioning and tension of the reed diaphragm over said aperture. However, adjustment often requires disassembling at least parts of the caller such as the ring and reed; such disassembly in the field may be difficult and cumbersome under many hunting conditions, and may otherwise detract from the success or enjoyability of the hunt. Moreover, such interior reed assemblies are susceptible to malfunctioning caused, at least in part, by the accumulation of spit and debris in or around the assembly. It is also difficult to adjust the call sound quickly enough to readily allow customized calls under time-sensitive field conditions.